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you

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Mountain Biking

at Cardrona Bike Park

Thanks for a great season! Summer '23/24 operations has ended.

Check out our summer trail map to see all our bike trails at Cardrona, and our daily Dirt Report for current weather and facility updates.

Follow Cardrona Bike Park on Facebook and Instagram to find out about trail conditions, upcoming events and more!

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Passes

Thanks for a great season! Summer '23/24 operations has ended.

Lift passes for a summer’s day on Cardrona’s extensive mountain bike trail network come in many different options. Whether you’re here for a whole day, a half-day, a late-night Friday or the season, there’s a pass for every member of your family. During summer, kids 5 and under ride FREE!

Stuff

You need to know

The Safety Stuff

Dirt Responsibility Code

  • Ride within your limits
  • Ride only on marked trails or designated freeride zones
  • Stay within resort boundaries
  • Riding in closed areas will result in loss of pass
  • Carry a trail map & cell phone – Dirt Patrol can be reached on +64 3 443 7341 ext. 721
  • Be aware of unmarked hazards

Check out the Mountain Bikers' Code for more information.

Daily Bike Checklist

  • Make sure your helmet is in good shape & adjusted to fit you. At Cardrona we recommend the use of full-face helmets
  • Inspect your bike frame for cracks, dents or other damage
  • Make sure you have enough brake pad to stop your bike on a steep downhill
  • Front & rear axles should be tight
  • Headset & stem should be secure with no movement
  • Tyres should be in good condition, with no tears or cuts in the sidewall & plenty of tread
  • Handlebars & grips should be tight (not spinning)
  • Seat & seat post need to be fastened securely

If you’re not sure your bike is in good enough nick to be riding the trails, pop in and see our friendly Cardrona Workshop team. They can look after most usual repairs right on the mountain while you grab a bite and a coffee!

It always helps to bring a bag with water, sunscreen and windproof/waterproof layers for a day riding at Cardrona. Mountain conditions can change rapidly and it always helps to be prepared.

Make sure you warm up before you tackle anything too far out of your comfort zone – build up to more gnarly trails, take breaks and keep yourself fuelled. Mountain biking can be pretty taxing on your body, so you'll make the most out of your day if you pace yourself and ride within your limits.

We recommend heading out with the Bike School for a lesson! We have courses to cater for beginner, intermediate, and advanced riders.

If you have any questions about mountain safety, feel free to have a chat with one of our Patrollers!

Opening Days & Hours

Summer 2023/24: December 15, 2023 – March 3, 2024 (closed Christmas Day).

Opening hours

  • Regular (15 – 24 December & 23 January – 3 March): 10am – 4pm
  • Extended-play (26 Dec – 22 January): 10am – 5pm
  • Friday (TGIF): 12pm – 8pm

Opening Days

  • Off-Peak (15 – 24 December & 23 January – 3 March): Thursday – Monday (closed Tuesday/Wednesday)
  • Peak (26 December – 22 January): Monday – Sunday (7 days a week)

Peak to Pub

The Peak to Pub trail is open daily to ride the lower bike park trails and join the historical "Persecution Road". This will take you all the way down to the Cardrona Hotel... boom! The whole Cardrona Peak to Pub trail is 10km long, and covers 1270m of vertical descent. Catch the shuttle back up for more laps or food and a beer to end your day.

This is an epic backcountry freeride experience on private land – just make sure it’s not your first time riding downhill; the trail is a mixture of single track and backcountry riding so some experience is essential.

Allow 30mins for confident bikers.

Can I ride Cardrona?

I'm a first timer to downhill biking: Yes you can ride at Cardrona! We highly recommend booking a lesson with one of our bike school instructors.

I have an e-bike: So long as it's a full-suspension e-bike, you can ride at Cardrona! We ask e-bike users to load their own bikes onto our lifts.

What about kids?: Kids can ride Cardrona! If they've never ridden downhill before we suggest they take a lesson to start things off. Check out our kids FAQ section for more info.

Biking with Kids

Kids are more than welcome at Cardrona! We recommend full-suspension bikes with disc brakes for riding at Cardrona - please check in with Patrol if you're not sure about your child's bike on our trails.

Here are some of our kids facilities and options:

  • Beginner flow trail on the learners' slope (next to the tunnel)
  • Pump track and skills area outside The Lounge
  • Child bike lessons with the Cardrona Bike School (see more info below) - highly recommended for beginner and intermediate downhillers
  • Giant games outside The Lounge for boredom busters at lunch time
  • If you're not confident loading your kids on the chairlift, ask the lifties for help or jump in a gondola cabin

Bike Workshop

Need a quick mountain bike repair? Get your bike sorted right on the mountain! Our Mountain Bike Workshop will get you sorted & back on the trails as soon as possible. Grab a coffee in The Lounge while you wait for your bike service or repair.

We know that anything can happen while you’re out on the trails, so we have a full time team of qualified bike mechanics on hand for anything from a tube replacement, through to a full service. We’ll get your mountain bike back in action so you can focus on having as much fun in the Cardrona Bike Park as you can! Come see the team in the container at the bottom of the McDougall's Chondola.

Make sure you check your bike daily & head into our on-mountain bike workshop if anything isn’t looking right to get your bike sorted!

Rental Fleet

Mountain bike rental at Cardrona also includes free full-face helmet and knee/elbow pad rental.

As our on-mountain rental fleet is limited, we highly recommend pre-booking rental bikes by calling us on 03 443 8880 or visiting our Wānaka town office at 50 Cardrona Valley Road.

Forgot something? No problem, you can rent/buy pads and gear, just come see us on the mountain.

Our full-suspension all mountain bikes are great for those who want to explore the mountain on all our trails. This year's full-suspension bikes are the 'Trek Remedy 8' model". Please choose your bike size by your height below.

SMALL

158 -168 cm

MEDIUM

168 -178 cm

LARGE

178 -188 cm

X-LARGE

188 cm+

For dedicated downhill riders (or those who want to try them out), we have 'Trek Session 8' bikes at Cardrona this summer.Please choose your bike size by your height below.

MEDIUM

168 -178 cm

LARGE

178 -188 cm

X-LARGE

188 cm+

We have 'Kona Process 24' full suspension bikes for kids aged 8yrs+.

ONE SIZE

125 -145 cm

Lift pass and rental

Package

Thanks for a great season! Summer '24/24 operations has ended.

This package includes a full day lift pass and full day bike rental. Our rental fleet consists of Trek Remedy 8 and Session 8 models. Please book your bike rental in advance.

If you would like to book a package longer than 2 days, please get in touch with our team here.

Book now

FULL SUSPENSION

adult

$110

Full day

child

$89

Full day

adult

$80

Half day

child

$69

Half day

Book now

DOWNHILL

adult

$135

Full day

adult

$105

Half day

Full face helmet

$25

pad set

$25

Safety pack (helmet & pad set)

$35

goggles

$20

Forgot something? No problem, you can rent/buy pads and gear, just come see us on the mountain.

Insurance

$20 p/d

Insurance is optional but recommended so you aren't liable for any damage you may cause to your rental bike.

Bike School

Sharpen your downhill skills this summer!

Get the most out of your day in NZ's highest bike park.

Cardrona is excited to partner with Treadmark and host their specialized coaching programs. Treadmark’s coaching sessions cater to everyone, from beginner all the way to advanced riders, with custom or group sessions to suit all skill levels and objectives available. We recommend booking all bike school lessons in advance. For more information and to book a lesson, please get in touch with Treadmark directly.


it's better

with the perfect backdrop

Start or finish your day (or both) with a trip to the Lounge for barista coffee, snacks, lunch, and an alpine barbecue on late night Friday. With a mountain-full of biking and carting action in front of you, and the Southern Alps behind you, there's no better spot to relax with a cold one and share your stories from your day at Cardrona this summer.

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